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What Is an Anathema?
By St. Theophan the Recluse, + 1891
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thing both an act of love for man and a safeguard for
freedom. If you judge thus here, judge thus also concerning
the society of the Church. These false teachers, just like
thieves and robbers, plunder the property of the holy
Church and of God, corrupting her children and destroying
them. Does the holy Church really err in judging them,
binding them, and casting them out? And would it really be
love for man if she regarded the actions of such people with
indifference and left them at liberty to destroy everyone
else? Would a mother permit a snake to freely crawl up to
and bite her little child, who does not understand the
danger? If some immoral person were to gain access to your
family and begin tempting your daughter, or your son—
would you be able to regard their actions and their speeches
with indifference? Fearing to gain a reputation for being
inhumane and old-fashioned, would you tie your own
hands? Would you not push such a person out the door and
close it against them forever?! You should view the actions
of the holy Church in the same way. She sees that
individuals of corrupt mind appear, and corrupt others—
and she rises up against them, drives them away, and calls
out to all those who are her own: Beware—so-and-so and
such-and-such people wish to destroy your souls. Do not
listen to them; flee from them. Thus she fulfills the duty of
motherly love, and therefore acts lovingly—or as you put it,
humanely.
Do you not see with what wisdom and foresight the holy
Church acts when she has us perform the present
proclamation and listen to it? And yet they say, “This is
outdated.” It is precisely now that it is relevant. Perhaps a
hundred years ago it was not relevant. But one must say
concerning our time, that if a Rite of Orthodoxy did not as
yet exist, it would be needful to introduce one, and to
perform it not only in the capital cities but in all places and
in all churches: in order to collect all the evil teachings
opposed to the Word of God, and to make them known to
all, in order that all might know what they need to beware of
and what kind of teachings to avoid. Many are corrupted in
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mind solely due to ignorance, whereas a public
condemnation of ruinous teachings would save them from
perdition.
Thus, the Church excommunicates, expels from her
midst or anathematizes for the same reason that any society
does so. And she is obliged to do this in self-preservation
and to preserve her children from destruction. Therefore
there is nothing blameworthy or incompre-hensible about
this present Rite. If anyone fears the act of anathema, let him
avoid the teachings which cause one to fall under it. If
anyone fears it for others, let him restore him to sound
teaching. If you are Orthodox and yet you are not well
disposed toward this act, then you are found to be
contradicting yourself. But if you have already abandoned
sound doctrine, then what business is it of yours what is
done in the Church by those who maintain it? By the very
fact that you have conceived a different view of things than
that which is maintained in the Church, you have already
separated yourself from the Church. It is not inscription in
the baptismal records which makes one a member of the
Church, but the spirit and content of one’s opinions.
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stubbornness and hardness of heart, the earthly Church lifts
them up to the judgment of God. That judgment is merciful
unto repentant sinners, but fearsome for the stubborn
enemies of God. “It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of
the living God . . . for our God is a consuming fire” (Heb
10:31; 12:29).
Anathema is not final damnation: until death repentance
is possible. “Anathema” is fearsome not because the Church
wishes anyone evil or God seeks their damnation. They
desire that all be saved. But it is fearsome to stand before the
presence of God in the state of hardened evil: nothing is
hidden from Him.
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The Anathema Service
After the dismissal of the Divine Liturgy, the people led by the
clergy process with icons around the church, singing the following:
Great Litany
Deacon: For the peace from above and for the salvation of
our souls, let us pray to the Lord.
Deacon: For the peace of the whole world, for the welfare
of the holy churches of God, and for the union of
all, let us pray to the Lord.
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Deacon: For this holy house and for those who enter with
faith, reverence, and the fear of God, let us pray to
the Lord.
Deacon: For this city, for every city and country, and for
the faithful dwelling in them, let us pray to the
Lord.
Deacon: That the Lord God will look upon His holy
Church with a merciful eye, and preserve her
unharmed and unconquered by heresies and
superstitions, and protect her with His peace, let
us pray to the Lord.
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Deacon: That He will heal her dissensions, and turn all that
have fallen away to the knowledge of the Truth by
the power of the Holy Spirit, and join them to His
chosen flock, let us pray to the Lord.
Deacon: Help us, save us, have mercy on us, and keep us,
O God, by Your grace.
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Priest: For to You are due all glory, honor, and worship,
to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy
Spirit, now and ever, and for ages of ages.
People: Amen.
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Your heritage, reject Your grace, and subject
themselves to the judgment of Your all-holy Word.
People: Amen.
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Priest: Let us Orthodox people, now celebrating the
Triumph of Orthodoxy, glorify our good God
above all else, who is blessed forever.
Nicene Creed
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men and for our salvation came down from
heaven, and was incarnate of the Holy Spirit and
the Virgin Mary, and became man. And He was
crucified for us under Pontius Pilate, and suffered,
and was buried. And the third day He rose again,
according to the Scriptures, and ascended into
heaven, and sits at the right hand of the Father;
and He shall come again with glory to judge the
living and the dead; whose Kingdom shall have
no end;
The Anathemas
All Clergy: This is the faith of the apostles! This is the faith
of the fathers! This is the Orthodox faith! This faith
has established the universe!
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As we therefore bless and praise those who have
obeyed the divine revelation and have fought for
it, so we reject and anathematize those who
oppose this truth, if while waiting for their return
and repentance, they refuse to turn again to the
Lord; and in this we follow the sacred tradition of
the ancient Church, holding fast to her traditions.
Priest: To those who say that God is not spirit, but flesh;
or that He is not just, merciful, wise and all-
knowing, and utter similar blasphemies:
Anathema! Anathema! Anathema!
Priest: To those who dare to say that the Son of God and
also the Holy Spirit are not one in essence and of
equal honor with the Father, and confess that the
Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit are not
one God: Anathema! Anathema! Anathema!
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People: Anathema! (3x)
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Priest: To those who reject the Councils of the holy
fathers and their traditions, which are in accord
with divine revelation and kept piously by the
Holy Orthodox Church: Anathema! Anathema!
Anathema!
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brethren to inquisition: Anathema! Anathema!
Anathema!
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Warsaw and All Poland, Tokyo and All Japan,
Kiev and All Ukraine, and Prague and All the
Czech Lands and Slovakia, and to all Orthodox
metropolitans, archbishops, and bishops: Memory
Eternal! Memory Eternal! Memory Eternal!
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People: Many Years! (3x)
Choir: (sings) God grant you many years! God grant you
many years! God grant you many years!
People: Amen.
People: Amen.
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The clergy and faithful venerate the holy icon, while the choir sings the
Te Deum Laudamus, the composition of St. Ambrose of Milan.
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Revised 2/19/2010